Change Management for Contract Cleaning Companies

Here's a scenario that's familiar to many contract cleaning companies: You land a new contract only to get complaints within months that your efforts are falling short. You know the truth is that the client isn't treating cleaning as a priority, and their facility reflects it...but that isn't what they want to hear.

How to prevent this predicament? Implement change management, a formal process for organizational change to ensure a smooth transition. This is particularly important when a building service contractor enters a new contract with a facility management team.

The success or failure of the business-contractor relationship is often determined in the first few weeks. Savvy BSCs realize it's to their own benefit to take control from the start. Following a structured process increases the chances of both the BSC and its facility client feeling satisfied about their relationship.

Getting complaints after starting a new account?

6 Ways to Implement Change Management for New Commercial Cleaning Accounts

1. Assessment
During the initial assessment phase, the BSC should work with facility management to establish a baseline and goals. Where is the current state of affairs (problem areas, room for improvement) and where does the client want to go?

 Also, determine the stakeholders. Who will facilitate implementation of the new cleaning program? Who else will be affected? This includes facility management, BSC leadership, and the cleaning crews assigned to the building, of course, but also building occupants and perhaps other relevant contractors.

2. Roadmap
Building upon the initial audit, create a strategic plan customized to the client's specific needs with a focus on level of service. This "roadmap" identifies the route you and the client will take to get from where the client is to the cleaning results they desire.

This process should include identifying the resources and funding necessary to meet goals, as well as any specific changes to how the facility will be cleaned.

Include measurable targets, incentives, measurements, and analysis so you and the client can track the progress of the new cleaning program with shared expectations.

3. Communication
A new cleaning program affects every level of the client's company, from the frontline workers to the president. Everyone needs to know how the program will be rolled out and what its impact will be on their lives.

Work with your client to create a communication plan that creates awareness around the reasons for the new cleaning program and the risk of not changing. The goal is to build interest and buy-in from all stakeholders.

Before implementation begins, identify what messaging will be required for each audience. The facility manager may need to know everything, the president may only care about budget updates, and office workers may want to know the new cleaning schedules. Anticipate each group's concerns, and address them before they are brought up.

Review and update existing materials to reflect the new mission. This will include the BSC's specifications for the project, but could also involve the client.

As an example, the client's specifications may need to communicate new expectations for building occupants. When must trash be set outside of cubicles? What do they do with recycling? During what hours might cleaning interfere with quiet work? Also, new signage may be needed in restrooms and break rooms to illustrate proper hand washing or trash disposal.

Finally, make sure there is a system outlined for receiving questions and complaints, and quickly change what isn't working. Who do on-site employees talk to about restroom odors, as an example, how will that information be relayed to your team, who will address the problem, and how will the resolution be communicated back to the client?

4. Training
Training is at the heart of change. Once your road map is in place and everyone on your team and at the client's facility understands what's to come, create a standardized training program. Most likely, you'll need several programs—one for cleaning workers, another for leadership, and a third for building occupants.

Standardized, hands-on training for your crews will ensure a smooth implementation of your cleaning program on a new site.

Each client is unique, and training should reflect those differences. Your staff must know how to properly use the chemicals and equipment, in the most effective way, for a particular site. If the facility manager has specific requests, communicate and demonstrate these expectations to the cleaners.

Leadership also needs training to create sustainability throughout the system. They must understand the goals, processes, and metrics so they can continually make adjustments to help steer the ship in the right direction.

Even more important, the active and visible involvement of leadership in the process builds a coalition of support among employees. When properly trained and prepared, they can better coach their teams through the change.

Finally, it's imperative to also provide training for others who will be affected by the new cleaning program. Help them understand the importance of cleaning (ISSA has data and statistics on how cleaning can improve health and productivity). Also, they need to understand how and why they can help keep the facility clean.

Let's say your cleaning program creates a new system for separating trash from recycling. Work with your client to educate building occupants about the reason for the change, give them hands-on training on how the process works, and ask for their commitment to fully participate in the new system. Consider making a game out of the process to keep things fun and to get more buy in.

Training isn't something you check off a to-do list. Recurring training throughout the years is important for getting new stakeholders on board and for keeping existing folks engaged.

5. Improve
Change management shouldn't end once the new cleaning program begins. For best results, it should be an ongoing process. Leadership must remain focused on the vision for the cleaning program.

Frequently review the program to identify and remove potential roadblocks. Use established metrics to assess how well the program is succeeding and to look for opportunities for continuous improvement in people, processes, logistics, and appearance.

6. Celebrate
As you manage a client's cleaning program through its lifecycle, don't forget to also recognize your team and the client's team. Celebrating milestones and achievements keeps people involved in the process and invested in success. 

Change management is often overlooked as BSCs get hyper focused on the technical and logistical elements of implementing a new cleaning program. But the most challenging and critical component of any change is managing the human element.

Getting all stakeholders on board for a change is almost always the difference between success and failure. Creating a structured approach to change management will help you create strong, long-lasting relationships with your clients.

Copyright The Janitorial Store. All Rights Reserved

Visit our Store for Certification Training Programs

Non-Member Price $147.00
Member Price $97.00